Let's say you're in Austin, Texas, it's Sunday morning, and you go out for breakfast. What looks good on the menu? Chances are very good that you, like many of your fellow diners, will order migas.
Migas (pronounced MEE gas) is a Tex-Mex tangle of eggs, bits of corn tortilla, and a host of savory ingredients, from black beans, chorizo and cheese to salsa, avocado and chiles. A dish that many professed egg-haters relish, it probably can thank its existence to thrifty cooks looking to use left-over tortillas, since tortillas are an integral part of the dish. The word, migas, in fact, is derived from the Spanish word for crumbs.
Because they are an egg dish, they are traditionally served at breakfast or brunch. Like omlettes though, they can make an excellent dinner as well.
The corn tortillas in migas can take the form of either fresh tortillas or tostados (tortilla chips), as reflected by our recipes. When tostados are used, they are added near the end of preparation so they retain their crispness. And, as you will see, fresh tortillas are added early on.
Migas Recipes
These recipes are sized for two servings, but can easily be doubled or tripled or more for a larger crowd. Migas are a terrific brunch dish.Black Bean Migas
- 4 Eggs
- 1 T Water
- 1 T Salsa (your favorite, but it should be chunky)
- 1 T Bacon drippings or vegetable oil
- 1/4 C Chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 C Chopped onion
- 1 Fresh jalapeño (stems and seeds removed), finely chopped
- 3/4 C Black beans, cooked and drained
- 16 Tortilla chips (tostadas), in bite-size pieces
- 2/3 C Grated mild cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese
In a small bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, water and salsa, and set aside.
In a skillet, over medium-low heat, sauté the bell pepper, onion and jalapeño for 2 minutes or until onion is transparent, but not brown. Stir in the black beans.
Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and "scramble" until eggs are almost done. Sprinkle in the broken tortilla chips, and stir well. Remove the skillet from heat, and sprinkle cheese into the eggs, again stirring well.
Serve at once with additional salsa and warm flour tortillas, if desired. Makes 2 generous servings.
Individual recipe - Black Bean Migas
Migas with Fresh Tortillas
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 T Water
- 1 T Salsa (preferably chunky)
- 1 T Butter
- 1 T Olive oil
- 2 6-inch corn tortillas, torn into small pieces
- 1/4 C Finely chopped white onion
- 2 T Chopped green chiles
- 1 Medium tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped
- 1/2 C Chopped avocado, sprinkled with a little lemon juice
- 2 t Minced fresh cilantro
- 2/3 C Grated mild cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese
- Crema or sour cream
In a small bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, water and salsa, and set aside.
Chop the onion, green chiles, tomato, avocado and cilantro before you start the migas so they'll be ready when you need them.
Warm the butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add the tortilla pieces and saut until softened. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it is transparent. Stir in the chopped green chiles.
Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and "scramble" until eggs are done. Remove the skillet from heat, and sprinkle the chopped tomato, avocado, cilantro and cheese into the eggs, again stirring well.
Serve at once with warm flour tortillas. Garnish with additional salsa and crema or sour cream.
So, you've got the idea. You are limited only by your imagination. Resourceful cooks have a world of ingredients from which to choose. In addition to the ingredients called for in these two recipes, some additional possibilities for enhancing your migas are:
- Crisply cooked and crumbled bacon
- Chopped ham
- Crumbled chorizo (browned before you add the eggs)
- Cooked, shredded chicken or turkey
- Grated or diced potato (sauted until tender before adding the eggs)
- Poblano chiles
- Green Bell pepper
- Your favorite hot sauce
- Green onion
- Cayenne pepper (a dash or so)
- Minced garlic
As long as your dish contains the requisite tortillas, you will still have migas. Of course, if you omit the tortillas, you'll still have a delicious, satisfying dish, but you won't have what they're eating in Austin.
